On October 9, 2022, the Earth’s atmosphere was hit by an unprecedented gamma-ray burst, which surprised the scientific community with a peak of energy never observed before. This exceptional event, detected by NASA’s Fermi satellite, reached 12 million electron volts, an incredibly high value when compared to the energy of visible light, which is only 2-3 electron volts.
A revolutionary discovery
An international team of researchers, led by Radboud University in the Netherlands, with the participation of Italy through the National Institute for Astrophysics, the Gran Sasso Science Institute and the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, analyzed data collected by the Fermi satellite. Among the possible explanations for this extraordinary phenomenon, the most likely is that it is an annihilation between matter and antimatter that occurred inside the gamma-ray jet. This process, where particles and antiparticles destroy each other, produces new particles and large amounts of energy.
The importance of studying gamma-ray bursts
Gamma-ray bursts are among the most energetic and mysterious events in the universe. A single event can release more energy in a few seconds than the Sun emits in its entire lifetime. GRB 221009A, the observed gamma-ray burst, occurred about 2.4 billion light-years from Earth and was generated by a violent cosmic phenomenon, such as the merger of a neutron star with a twin or a black hole, or the collapse of a massive star.
Maria Edvige Ravasio, from Radboud University and INAF, who led the study, said: “A few minutes after the gamma-ray burst began, the Fermi satellite recorded an unusual feature that caught our attention. I didn’t expect to find a spike in energy and when I realized it was real, it was exciting.”
The future of research
Marica Branchesi, professor at the Gran Sasso Science Institute and associated with INFN, commented: “This extraordinary discovery demonstrates how observations of gamma-ray bursts, even fifty years after their discovery, continue to amaze us by revealing the physics that govern these events. The event has also highlighted the importance of satellites in the study of high-energy celestial phenomena, unique tools that will be essential in the future too”.
This discovery marks a significant step forward in our understanding of gamma-ray bursts and the cosmos. What will be the next surprise that the universe has in store for us?
Meta description: Extraordinary discovery in the field of gamma-ray bursts: a peak of energy never seen before. Find out what researchers found and the implications for science.
